Rebuilding Grandpa's Woodshop #1: Step One

Well, I recently had this itch to get into woodworking and it just so happened that my Grandma still had all my late Grandpa’s tools where he left him 21 years ago. I was three when he passed away. I really never got to know him, although I hear many great stories about his life. After sitting in the basement for 21 years, some of the tools had became victims of curious grandchildren (guilty as charged). Some of the paints and stain were opened, which ultimately got onto some of the tools and equipment. Many of the organized tools were misplaced or lost. Basically, this whole place is a mess.

Here are some pictures of what is in there. I am a true beginner. An exception was a wood working class I took in high school, but I didn’t take it very seriously (I wish I would have). My first task is to clean up the cob webs and organize to see where I am. There are a lot of antiques, so if anyone can point anything out that may be valuable, let me know!

I am going to be updating this project for anyone who is interested.

I bought this planer, thought it would be essential for the shop. Next purchase is a router.

Nice band saw in good shape.

Older Craftsman with 1Hp motor in decent shape. Redoing the base on it as we speak. I will be making a table extension for it as one of my first projects.

Old Craftsman catalog.

Here is an old level I found in the basement. It has Davis Level & Tool Co. Pat Sep 1867. Pretty neat. But I think someone cut off two ends of it. I’m thinking it was part of a bigger level. What do you guys think of it?

I found the following.a] canvas nail apron given out by lumber companies in the ‘40’s-’60’sb] 1# sanka coffe can, ca. 1970-1980c] board of education [similar to the one used into the ‘70’s by my high school PE coach]d] final pic looks to be a piece of an old level. ca. early 1900’se] Craftsman poster, ??? ca. maybe ‘50’sf] the table saw looks to be similar to the one my father had in the late ‘50’s

BTW, all of these can still be useful, it you did not play to rough with them.

I couldn’t see the pictures because of their large size. Would like to see more. As far as old tools are concerned, my $0.02 worth is that old tools are perfectly good and oftentimes better than new. My 43 year old radial arm saw and 36 year old drill press are robably better than you can buy new. Lot’s of cast iron and no plastic.

I have some old machinist tools from my father—old Brown & Sharpe calipers, micrometers, depth gages, etc. Some date from before 1900. They are beautiful tools but for the love of pete, those old vernier scales are hard to read. Hard to beat digital in this case.

Sorry to hear you didn’t get a chance to know your grandfather. Mine passed on when I was 10, and I have a lot of memories of him. However… My family history is full of woodworkers, and although my tool collection is primarily of my own purchases as an adult, I can tell you I feel a certain link to my own heritage every time I step out into my shop. I can only imagine how much stronger that link must be using the same tools, in the same workspace as your grandfather did… That must be a real treat for you!